Fuel injection pump



Oct. 7, 1952 F. c. REGGIO FUEL INJECTION PUMP Original Filed Feb. 5, 1959 WNW FVIIIIIIVZ any high-pressure fuel Patented Oct. 7, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FUEL INJECTION PUMP Ferdinando Carlo Reggie, Norwalk, Conn.

ebruary 3, 1939, Serial No. 254,355. Divided and this application August 6, 1947, Serial No. 766,580

Original application F 12 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to liquid pumps, and particularly to injection pumps and metering units for supplying pressure fuel or other liquid to the induction manifold, cylinders or combustion chambers of engines. The instant application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 254,355 filed February 3, 1939, now abandoned.

The primary object of the instant invention is to provide an arrangement whereby there is obtained a small, strong, compact and light pump of this kind which can the engine for inspection, adjustment, repair or replacement of the pump without disconnecting injection line.

Another object is to provide improved design of pumps of this type which can be rapidly and precisely manufactured at comparatively low cost in quantity; which are light and yet not subject to material distortion either when assembled or during operation, and which are capable of long life in severe service without substantial leakage in conducting the fuel or other liquid under pressure.

The above and further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the followin description, taken in connection with the appended drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through a device embodying the invention; I

Figure 2 is in part an elevation and section along line 2-2 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 diagrammatically indicates, partly in section and partly in elevation, the device of Figure 1 applied to a radial aircraft engine.

As shown in Figure 1, a fuel pump I has a plunger 2 reciprocating in a barrel 3 having a port 5. At its upper end, beyond an annular groove 6, the plunger 2 has edges I, 8 which limit the plunger surface in contact with the bore of barrel 3. Below the groove 6 and at suitable distance therefrom the plunger I has a splined portion I formed as a pinion and meshing with a rack I I formed in a control member I2 slidable in a cylindric cavity of barrel or housing 3. This housing 3 is provided with a flange which rests upon and. is secured to a supporting surface or element 4 which may be part of the engine itself or may be a removable supporting member suitably fastened to the engine.

The lower end of plunger I6 against a lifter or tappet I9 driven by the engine. screwed on the upper end of in part a 2 is urged by a spring I8 operated by a cam A cup-shaped'cap 20 barrel or housing 3 closes the pumping chamber 22 and provides be I be readily removed from tween housing and cap, an annular chamber or reservoir 24 communicating through the port 5 with the pumping chamber. 22 and through an annular aperture of small area provided between barrel 3 and cap 20 with an annular chamber 26. A gasket 2| prevents fuel leakage between housing 3 and cap 20.

At the upper end of the pumping chamber 22 a spring-loaded check valve 36 admits fuel, through duct 38, annular groove 39, duct 40 and hollow fastenin bolt M, to conduit 42 leading to the nozzle I0. a

In the example of embodiment of the invention which is here described a multicylinder engine has a plurality of pumps I arranged near the engine cylinders. As indicated in Figure 2, a fuel transfer pump 48, connected through pipe 5| with a fuel tank, not shown, delivers fuel to a conduit 45 which communicates through another hollow the annular reservoir 24 of each pump I, while'the annular groove 26 ofeach pump communicates, v

through conduits 3D, 32 and the hollow mounting bolt Mb with a fuel return line 49 and a pipe 5!! leading fuel back to the tank. Between outlet and inlet ports of the transfer pump 48 a bypass is provided, controlled by apressure relief .valve having a plunger 52 bias'ed by a spring 53.

' InFigure 3 a pump I is shown equipping an aircraft engine of the radial type having a cylinder Bl] to which air is-supplied by a supercharger BI through the induction pipe 62. The fuel conduit 42 which is connected with the hollow bolt M leads pressure fuel displaced by the pump plunger 2 to the spray nozzle I0 through which fuel is'injected into the induction pipe 62 during part of the suction stroke of cylinder "60. The nozzle III may obviously be mounted in any other suitable position, such as near the intake cylinder port or valve, or inside the cylinder.

In the position shown in Figure 1, the plunger 2 is at the end of its suction stroke and has uncovered the port 5 allowing'fuel to flow into the pumping space 22. As the plunger rises, operated by cam I9, the surface comprised between edges I and 8 covers the port 5. The pressure rises rapidly in the space '22, lifts the check valve 36 and through conduits 38, 40, hollow mounting bolt 4i, conduit 42 and spray nozzle It! fuel is injected in the induction pipe 62 and carried by the incoming air into the cylinder 60. The injection continues until the edge 8 uncovers the port 5 which now functions as a pressure relief port through which the remaining fuel displaced by the plunger is bypassed into the reservoir 24.

The outside diameter of the housing 3 between the annular grooves 24 and 26 is slightly smaller than the corresponding bore of the cap member 20, thus providing a annular fuel passage of very small area through which excess fuel from the reservoir 24 flows continuously to the groove 26 and hence returns to the tank by way of conduits 30-, 32, hollow bolt 41b andlines 49 and 50. The volume flowing through an orifice under a given difference of pressure being for a gas or vapor several times greater than for a liquid, the

area of said passage may be made such that under the existing difference of pressure vapor or gas separating from the fuel in reservoir ZI can-be' eliminated therefrom, while only arelatively small volume of liquid fuel escapes.

In the example of embodiment of the invention which is here disclosed the plunger 2 is provided with at least one substantially helical control edge. The duration of the eflective delivery stroke of the plunger and thereby the weight'of fuel delivery per "strokemay' accordingly be'varied by a'tur'ning adjustment oi the plunger'obtain'ed by adjusting the control member I 2;

It will be cle'arifrom the foregoing that; the mounting bolts. 41 serve the doublepurposet of attaching the flange of the injectionpump to the corresponding supporting elementicrrm'ember or the engine, and of." establishing pressure-tight fuel flow connectionsbetween-pump? andrlen'gine. To'that end each of: mesons-41 isip'rovided with one or more radial passages 43 leadingf'toan axial passage 44. Therradialcpassages are connected by means: of: aniannularigroover withefuel conduit formed in the pum'pjh'ousingd; while: the axial passage isin comr'nun'icationwith a:conduit provided in the support member or elemental to which thepump Us to be attached.

It will be appreciated that theivarious improvements and reflnements s'et' forth above all materially contribute to the satisfactory operation and ease of maintenancetofthe device, and to the success thereof in connection with military as well as commercialaircraft'. It will al'so be clearlyunderstood that the invention is in'no"ways lime ited to use with reciprocating engines; but'maybe practiced in connection witha'ny; suitablethermal or combustion engine, such for example-a -the internal combustion turbine; the turbo-jet engine; the turbo-propeller engine, the" pulse-jet, the ram-jet, therocket" engine. Moreover, the invention is in no way confined to devices for the delivery of fuel, but may be practiced in connection with other systems-for the'delivery of any suitable fluid; suchfor example as pumps for injecting water orotherv anti-detonant fluids;

The foregoing embodiments of the invention have been described for purpose of illustration and not as a limitation-of the scope of the ihvention. It is therefore tobe expressly understood that the invention is notlimited to the specific embodiments shown, but may be usedin' various other& ways, that variousmodifications may-be made to.- suit differentrequirements, and: that other changes; substitutions, additionsandomiszsions may be made in the constructiomarrangement and manner of operation of the parts without departingv from the limits or scope of the invention asdefined in the iollowing claims.

Where the claims are directed to less than all of-theelements of the complete systemdisclosed, they are intended: to cover possible uses of. the recited-elements in installations which'may lack the non-recited elements.

What I claim is:

1. A fuel injection pump having a substantially cylindrical housing; a flange at one end of the housing perpendicular to the axis thereof for mounting the pump; a cylinder in said housing perpendicular to the flange; a plunger reciprocable in said cylinder; tappet means on the flange side of the plunger to impart reciprocating motion of constant stroke to the plunger; cooperat ing port'an'd'controlling'edge mean for bypassing fuel, whose relative adjustment determines the length of the effective delivery stroke of the plunger; means for altering the relative adjustment of said port and edge means to vary the fuel delivery of the pump; conduit means in said housing substantially parallel to the cylinder; threaded'meansr. including a coaxial resiliently loaded slid'able check valve, first axial duct means for leading fuel to the check valve and second ductmeans having a radial component for leading fuel therefrom; said threaded means being mountedroaxiallywith-the cylinder at the end thereoffopposite toathe;flange to provide a pressure: fuel connection: through said first duct means; checkwalvezand second' duct mean between the cylinder andsaidconduit means; peripherally spaced' openingsin said flange perpendicular: to the-latter'forthe insertion of mounting bolts; said conduit means being in fuel flow connection: withzone atleast of said openings; anditlrez mountingrboltsbeing provided with axial andxra'diali duct means; whereby a pressure tight fuel connection is established through said mounting,boltsmpontightening of the latter.

ZlAnzengine injection pump having substantially cylindrical .housinggmeans; a flange at one end: of saidzhousing meanszand perpendicular to the axis-thereof; a:cylinder in said housing means perpendicularstoxthe-flange; a plunger reciprocableiin-tsaid. cylinder; resilient means tending to slide-the plunger in the direction of the flange; tappetwmeanscoaxial with the plunger and on the flange side thereof. for efiecting the discharge strokeof: the. plungenwhile the return or suction stroke of the plunger is determined by said resilient means; conduit means in said housing means substantially parallel to the cylinder; a checkvalve'assembly mounted coaxially with the cylinder at the end" thereof remote from the flange; said assembly including an axially movable resiliently loadedcheck valve, an axial passagefor'leading'fluid from the cylinder to the check valve, anannular groove in fluid flow communication with the: end of said conduit means remote from the flange, and a passage having a radial component/for: leading fluid past the check valve-:to said'annular groove; evenly spaced openings in said flange perpendicular to the latten for: the passage of mounting bolts; duct meansrhavingiradial and axial components connecting ongatleasti of saidopenings with said conduit means; and axial and radial duct means in one a-t leasttof. said-mounting bolts for providing-'larpressureztight fluid flow connection adapted toilead: pressure-fluid-from said conduit means to theengine;

3. Anzengine fuel .puinp'having housing means; a\ flange: atone end of the. housing means; a cylinden inthe-housing means perpendicular to the-flange; a plunger: reciprocable in the cylinder; resilient means connected with the plunger for moving: thelatter in the direction of the flange; tappet means coaxial with the plunger and on: the flange side thereof for moving the plunger inthe opposite direction to effect the discharge stroke thereof; conduit means in said housing means substantially parallel to the cylinder; a check valve assembly mounted coaxially with the cylinder on the end thereof remote from the flange; said assembly including an axially slidable resiliently loaded check valve, a central passage for leading fuel from the cylinder to the check valve, an annular groove in fuel flow communication with the end of said conduit means remote from the flange, anda passage having a radial component for leading fuel from the downstream side of the check valve to the annular groove; openings in said flange perpendicular to the latter for the passage of mounting bolts; duct means having radial and axial components connecting one at least of said openings with said conduit means; and axial and radial duct means in said mounting bolts for. providing a pressure tight fuel connection adapted to lead pressure fuel from the conduit means to the engine 4. A fuel pump having a'housing; a flange at one end of the housing; cylinder means in said housing perpendicular to the flange; plunger means reciprocable in the cylinder means; resilient means connected with the plunger means for eifecting the suction stroke thereof; tappet means coaxial with the plunger means and mounted on the flange side thereof for effecting the discharge stroke of the plunger means; conduit means in the housing substantially parallel to the cylinder means; resiliently loaded slidable check valve means coaxial with the cylinder means at the end thereof remote from the flange; means providing a passage for leading fuel from the cylinder means to the check valve means and another passage for leading fuel past the check valve means to the conduit means; openings in said flange for the passage of mounting bolts; and duct means having radial and axial components connecting one at least of said openings with said conduit means.

5. A fuel pump having a housing; a flange at one end of the housing for mounting the same on supporting means; cylinder means in said housing perpendicular to the flange; plunger means reciprocable in said cylinder means; tappet means and resilient means coaxial with the plunger means for actuating the latter; first conduit means in the housing substantially parallel to the cylinder means; resiliently loaded slidable check valve means coaxial with the cylinder means at the end thereof remote from the flange; means providing a passage for leading fuel from the cylinder means to the check valve means and another passage having a radial component for leading fuel past the check valve means to said first conduit means; openings in said flange for the passage of mounting bolts; second conduit means for leading low pressure fuel to the cylinder means; and duct means having radial and axial components for connecting said first and second conduit means in fuel flow communication with said openings, whereby said openings may be utilized as fuel passages in fuel flow communication with corresponding openings in said supporting means upon tightening of the mounting bolts.

6. A fuel injection pump having a flange for mounting the pump on an engine; at least three spaced openings in the flange for the passage of an equal number of threaded mounting elements to secure the pump to the engine; first conduit means in said pump connected with one of said openings for leading low pressure fuel from said opening to the admission side of the pump; second conduit means in said pump connected with 6, another of said flangeopening's for the return thereto of vapor separating fromth'e fuel in said admission side of the'pump; and third conduit means in said pump connected with still another of'said openings for lea'dinjgjthereto high'pressure fuel from the discharge side of'the pump; whereby the desired'fuel flow connections between the three conduit means in thepumpjand correspond ing suitably located conduits inthe engine may be established simply by tightening said threaded mounting elements.

'IJ-FQruse with the fuel-pump claimed in claim 4: an engine having pad means provided with a flat surface'upon whichthe flange of the fuel pump is to bemounted; tapped holes in the pad means for receiving hollow mounting bolts to be inserted through the flange openings of the pump for securing the pump to the pad means; and fuel passages independent of-the fuel pump and connected with said" tapped holes, which fuel passages become connected with the duct means in the pump through the hollow bolts upon tightening of the latter.

8. A fuel injection pump having a flange for mounting the pump on an engine; at least two spaced openings in the flange for the passage of an equal number of threaded hollow mounting elements to secure the pump to the engine; first conduit means in said pump connected with one of said openings for leading low pressure fuel from said opening to the admission side of the pump; and second conduit means in said pump connected with another of said openings for leading thereto high pressure fuel from the discharge side of the pump, whereby the fuel connections with the intake and discharge sides of the'pump may be established merely by, tightening said mounting elements.

9. A fluid pump having a flange for mounting the pump; flange for the passage of an equal number of threaded hollow mounting elements; first conduit means in said pump connected with one of said openings for leading low pressure fluid from the opening to the intake side of the pump; second conduit means in the pump connected with a second opening for venting vapor from the pump; and third conduit means connected with still another of said openings to lead thereto high pressure fluid from the discharge side of the pump, whereby the intake and discharge connections of the pump and the vapor vent line may be established simply by tightening the threaded mounting elements.

10. A fuel injection pump for an engine, said pump having a block, a flat face in said block, a plurality of passages in said block leading to said face, a plurality of fuel lines in said pump, each line connected with one of said passages, an engine block having a flat face adapted to be bolted to the flat face of said pump block, a plurality of passages in said engine block, each adapted to match a corresponding passage in the pump block, a plurality of engine fuel lines each connected with one of the passages in said engine block, and means for bolting the pump block and the engine block together thus providing a quick connection and disconnection between pump fuel lines and engine fuel lines.

11. A fluid pump for a consumer, said pump having a part with a flat face, a plurality of fluid passages in said part opening into said face, a plurality of fluid lines in said pump each connected with one of said passages, said consumer including a part having a flat surface to which at least three spaced openings in the p 7. the pump: part with said flat face may be attached, a. plurality of fluid. ducts in said consumer part andv opening into: said fiat surface, each of said ducts being adapted to match a corresponding passage in said pump part,v a plurality of fluid conduits in-said consumer-each. connected with one of said ducts, and meansfor attaching said pump part and said consumer parttogether to establish: a-quick fluid flow connection between said lines and said conduits.

12. A-fiuid pump having a part'provided with a flat face adapted to be. attached toalmatching fiat surface of a part of a consumer, several spaced passagesin said pump part opening into said face, first-conduit means in said pump connected with one of said passages for leading low pressure fluid from said passage to the intake side of the pump, second conduit means in said pump connected with another of said passages for venting vapor from the pump-,Ythird conduit means in said pump connected with. still another of said passages to lead. thereto high pressure fluid. from. the discharge side of the pump, and means for attaching, said pump part to the matching, part of sai'dconsumer to provide quick connection an -1- disconnection of. all said conduit means.

' FERDINANDO CARLO REGGIO.

REFERENCES CITED The; following references are of record in the file of this patentt' UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,967,101 R'assbach et aI. July 1'7, 1934 2,096,711 Fielden Oct. 26, 1937 2,118,578 Trapp May 24, 1938 2138;849 Gambrill Dec. 6, 1938 2,177,120 Schaeren Oct. 24, 1939 2,185,144 Edwards Dec. 26, 1939 2,296,357 Links et al Sept. 22, 1942 

